New York, New York – Donald Trump’s lawyers have once again requested Judge Juan Merchan to step down from the New York hush money trial involving the former president. This request comes after the judge previously rejected a similar plea by the defense seven months ago. The defense attorneys filed a letter arguing that Merchan’s daughter’s employment at Authentic Campaigns, a digital consulting firm, creates a conflict of interest in the case.
In response, prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office stated that the defense’s request for recusal lacked new information and should be denied. The prosecutors highlighted that previous conclusions about the judge’s impartiality remain unchanged, despite the defense’s concerns. Trump’s legal team previously sought Merchan’s recusal based on political contributions the judge made in 2020 and his daughter’s work as a political consultant, but Merchan declined to step down, asserting his ability to remain fair and impartial.
Despite the defense’s arguments that the circumstances of the trial have changed since Merchan’s previous decision, prosecutors emphasized that there is no direct financial conflict between the judge and his daughter’s work at Authentic Campaigns. Trump’s lawyers suggested that developments in the criminal trial could benefit the consulting firm financially, but prosecutors dismissed these claims as being based on speculative leaps rather than concrete evidence.
Trump faces a 34-count indictment related to hush money payments made by his attorney Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels. The former president has maintained his innocence, pleading not guilty to the charges. Jury selection for the trial is set to begin on April 15 in New York City. The ongoing legal battle continues to draw attention as Trump navigates complex legal challenges in the lead-up to the 2024 presidential election.